Optical device



Patented .inne ldd OPTKCAL DEVICE (ci. ca -29) 1 Claim.

The present invention relates generally to optical devices, such as stereoscopes and the like utilizing lenses in their construction, and is more particularly concerned with improvements in the construction of such lenses and their mounting and the method of making the same.

This invention constitutes a division of my copending application Serial No. 143,923, led May t 21, 1937, and which has become Patent No. 2,190,- 646, dated February 20, 1940, covering an fOptical device,

Heretofore, it has been the usual practice to provide devices of this character with lenses constructed o glass, These lenses were not only expensive in themseives, but necessitated the use of an expensive mounting. The cost of optical devices utiiiaing glass lenses was consequently materially increased, and there was always the possibility of breaking or otherwise damaging the lens. These disadvantages were especially objectionable in the case of portable optical devices and in the case of devices such as the mailable stereoscope disclosed and described in my aforesaid pending application, which is adapted for use as an advertising medium.

Having in mind the above as well as other objections to the usual lens construction in opstruction of lens and mounting for the device; and

Figure 5 is a longitudinal section view through the same, taken substantially on the line V-V of Figure 4.

As shown on the drawing: i

As illustrative of the device in which the present invention may be incorporated, there is shown a stereoscope in the form of a mailing piece which may be folded for mailing and unfolded for utili-` zation in viewing pictures, advertising matter and the like. More specifically, the device comprises a main body portion in the form of an envelope in which a pocket I0 is formed from a single sheet of material by folding the marginal edges of the sheet to form a main back' portion Il and inwardly extending portions l2 and i3 which define the forward `wall of the envelope pocket. A

Secured to the outer surfaces of the portions i2 andl 3 is a single sheet of material having a main portion I4 which is co-extensive with the entical devices, it is a primary object of the herein g described invention to provide an improved meth- 0d of making an optical lens.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved article of manufacture comprising an integrally formed lens structure and mounting means therefor'.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved lens structure for optical devices, in which the lens is constructed of a moldable plastic to the end that the lens will be unbreakable and may be produced inexpensively.

Other objects and features of the invention will more fully appear from the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, which illustrates several embodiments thereof, and in which:

Figure i. is a fragmentary iront View of an optical device, in this instance, a stereoscope, embodying the features of the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view through the device to show various details of its construction, taken substantially on the line II-EI of Figure l;

'Figure 3 is a transverse sectional View of the same, taken substantially on the line III-III of Figure l;

Figure 1i is a plan view of a preferred convelope and is secured to the portions i2 and E3 in any appropriate manner, as by gluing or otherwise. The sheet from which the main portion it is constructed is laterally extended to form wings I5 and I6, which wings extend beyond the lateral edges of the envelope and are provided with fold lines which are coincident with the lateral edges of the envelope.

At the open end of the envelope, as shown in Figure 2, the sheet from which the portion llt and wings l5 and I6 are formed is bent back upon itself to form an overlapping section il which is glued or otherwise secured to the outer face of the portion it. The section il is extended to form a flap or wing portion made up of hinged sections I8 and i9, these sections being integrally formed and joined at a bend line 2G so that the section I9 maybe a-ngularly disposed relative to the section I8. The portion lt and section ii are provided with coincident spaced square or rectangular openings 2i and 22 which give entrance to the envelope pocket.

It will be observed that the lateral edges 23 and 24 of the section it are in outward converging relation so as to bring the end edges of the section i9 into an inwardly spaced position relative to the wings i5 and i6 respectively. The

sections I8 and i9 are provided with an interconnected substantially elliptical opening which forms a cut-out portion 25 in the section it and a nose-receiving opening 26 in the section it. This latter section is formed by bending the end margin of the material back upon itself to form an outside layer 2l and inner layer 28 in superposed relation.

The layers of the section I9 are provided with spaced openings 2l' and 28 which extend through both layers of the section and are positioned on either side of the nose opening 26 in such manner that when the'sections I8 and I9 are folded into the position shown in Figure 2, these openings will be respectively disposed at a suitable distance in front of the windows 2I and 22. By having suitable lenses disposed in the openings 2`I' and 28', the device, when so folded, forms the optical device commonly known as a stereoscope.

The lenses may be mounted in several ways in the section I9. One method of mounting the lenses which has been satisfactory is to provide separately formed lenses 29 and 30 of suitable material and slightly larger in diameter than the openings 21 and 28. The lenses are disposed in the openings with their peripheral edges between the section layers and` are held in position by a lens-holding strip 3I having cut-out portions for coinciding with the openings 21 and 28? as well as the nose opening 26. The lensholding strip may be constructed of any suitable material, such as cardboard, metal, fiber or molded plastic material such as Celluloid.

The assembled parts of this section, namely, the layers 2l, 28 and the lens-holding strip-may be secured in assembled relation by means of metallic clips 32 which are preferably circumferentially spaced around the respective lenses and adjacent thereto. The lens-holding strip adjacent its ends is provided with aligned side notches 33 and 34 which are arranged to be associated with the side edges of an edge-opening notch 35 formed in the uppermost end of each of the wings I5 and I6, as shown in Figure 2.

When utilizing the device, the pictures, advertising material or other indicia are viewed through the windows 2I and 22. Such indicia are carried on a strip or card 36 which is normally disposed in the pocket I of the envelope and may be longitudinally withdrawn with a sliding movement so as to successively present the indicia thereon to the view ofthe user.

While in the present instance only one card is described as being disposed in the pocket of the 29' and 30' which are so formed as to have lens characteristics, these portions being integralwith the strip. It will therefore be apparent that thisconstruction materially simplies the lens and mounting arrangement and enables it to be produced at a much lower cost than if separate lenses were provided. 'Ihis construction is obtained by placing a moldable plastic material in a suitable die or mold. With some plastics, it is necessary to subject the material to pressure, while with others the material is simply molded without the application of additional pressure.

In either case, the lens portions as well as the lens mounting strip having the connecting' notches at its ends may be simultaneously and integrally produced.

, parent that the present invention provides an improved lens and lens mounting construction which may be producedby my novel method,

which may be constructed of a moldable plastic material so as to render the lens unbreakable, and which may be produced inexpensively and incorporated in different types of optical devices.

It is, of course, to be understood that although I have described in detail a preferred and modied form of the invention, the invention is not to be thus limited, but only insofar as defined by the scope and spirit of the appended claim.

I claim as my invention:

In an optical device, a lens carrier comprising an elongate strip having longitudinally extending fold portions in adjacent relation and spaced pairs of Y registered openings therethrough, a strip between said fold portions having an opening therethrough concentric with and of larger diameter than each of said pairs envelope, it will be readily apparent that a numi of registered openings, said last strip extending beyond the ends of said first strip and having aligned edge recesses at each end thereof for receiving a supporting member, a lens for each pair of said registered openings having the periphery thereof seated in a concentric enlarged opening in said last strip and the peripheral edge margins thereof seated between said fold portions, means for connecting said fold portions and said last strip together adjacent the periphery of each of said lenses, and an enlarged recess through said connected strips between the spaced lenses.

ELLIS M. BRANSON. 

